A vehicle environment recognition system includes stereo-image taking means for taking images of an environment around a subject vehicle and for outputting the images as a reference image and a comparative image, first stereo matching means for forming a first distance image on the basis of the reference image and the comparative image or on the basis of two images obtained by preprocessing the reference image and the comparative image, second stereo matching means for forming a second distance image on the basis of two images obtained by preprocessing the reference image and the comparative image in a different manner, detection means for detecting objects in the reference image on the basis of the first and second distance images, and selection means for selecting one of the results of detection based on the first and second distance images.